Something strange happens as soon as the possessed man touches Allard! He gasps, cries out, and falls back! A confused look on his face is matched by a confused cry from the cockpit "What in gods name... where are we?" yelled the other pilot. Steed glanced at Anyman. "How did you do that?" she whispered, "and more importantly, what do we do now?"

Over enemy airspace, escorted by two fearsome fighter aircraft whilst on an unarmed passenger plane, with dazed operatives who, whilst knowing nothing of the nature of their passengers, thankfully, also knew little about the situation they were in!

=========

Berlin, at that moment...

The large room was filled with young men and women, some as young as 15, sat at desks and holding onto what looked like a chunk of glowing red rock! The rock was wound with copper wire, trailing from rock to rock to a large, central lump of the stuff in the middle of the room where four older individuals, three men and a woman, sat on chairs with hands placed against it. The whole scene was unnerving and spooky, all sat in silence with eyes closed, concentrating on the rock their hands gently touched. White coated German scientists would occasionally drag a slumped youngster away from a table and replace them with a fresh faced German Youth, eyes frightened but resolve sure - they would die for their Fuhrer! Just as well ...

As one, the room screamed!

Stood behind a window overlooking the room, a man in a suit turned, his curiously red eyes glowing in the near darkness. Others in the room were Gestapo high ranking officials, Army and Airforce officers, and high ranking aides to the Fuhrer. All looked on in shock and alarm at what had happened in the room!

Concerned aides in white coats hurried from table to table. Some made their way to the middle of the large circle, to where the four adults were lying, dazed, blood streaming from nose and ears! They were helped to their feet and taken from the room, whilst the aides checked the youth at the tables, one by one.

An aide came over to whisper to a Gestapo high ranker, unable to keep the shock from their face! The man turned, and bellowed in German "What is the meaning of this? This youngsters are brain dead!"

The man in the suit smiled, turning to face the room. "Oh, they'll recover, but their usefulness is at an end. You'll need more youth like them, tested in the same way and if need be, to be sacrificed in the same way. Remember, this project, amongst others, will win Germany this war..." he said, smiling. The Gestapo officer turned, angry, to look into the room and then took a step towards the man in the suit. "I do not trust you! You come from nowhere with others! You promise us this, that! You have fancy trinkets and ways to make men fly and ...urkkkh!"

He clutched his throat, trying to scream... then his face melted!

The man in the suit turned, reaching for a cigarette inside his jacket as those in the room stared, aghast, at the puddle that had been one of their number! "Who... what ARE you?" cried one of the Officers. The man merely smiled. "I?I am the voice from the shadows. You would do well to listen... As for..." he turned, waving a hand at the sizzling pool that had been a human being only moments before. "I found his lack of faith... disturbing. Your PSIonic network, built upon the Lunarium stone and using the P'Utinarian ships across Europe, is a new technology. There are bound to be..." he turned back to look in the room as blank eyed drooling youngsters were dragged limp from the room. "A few glitches."

As the officers behind him glanced at one another, wondering who - or what - the Fuhrer had made a pact with, the mans smug look fell away, replaced by a sneering cruelty. "I see you, cousin." he hissed, quietly. "Your light shines as brightly as your naivete! Soon it, and your brothers lights... will go out! As for your sister... Her, I will enjoy seeing suffer like none has before!"

He strode from the room, which seemed to grow brighter after he'd gone...

=========

On the plane...

'Cousin.' rasped the inner voice. 'If you play with fire, you will get burnt...'

Allard frowned. The voice again. It had had some kind of hand in what had happened. He wasn't sure how, or why, but he knew that the powers he could call on were only the tip of a very very large iceberg! He shivered, wondering what anyone would do with that kind of power were they to use it...

"LANCE!" shouted Steed. She'd been shaking him. "What are we going to DO?"

Anyman looked out of the windows. The planes were still there, and the lights in the distance indicated a runway of some kind - if they didn't start to land, the planes would take appropriate action!

CODENAME: ANYMANOOC: Been a lazy weekend. Birthday on Saturday. Now I'm back.

"LANCE!" shouted Steed. She'd been shaking him. "What are we going to DO?"

Anyman looked out of the windows. The planes were still there, and the lights in the distance indicated a runway of some kind - if they didn't start to land, the planes would take appropriate action!

"Damn! Damn! Damn!," the called Anyman muttered, and then recognized that Captain Steed called him by his first name and felt a glow from that. "Damned, if we do. Damned, if we don't!"

"We can land and allow ourselves to be captured," he said to her quietly so the two men near them couldn't hear him. "But these men will probably be shot, not imprisoned. We can land and try to make a break for it. Slightly better chance of them surviving. Very slightly."

He frowns in thought.

"We can do a "Touch and Go" that I saw some pilots practise," he says, looking at her. "We start to land, I bail out while the plane is at speed. It speeds back up and tries to fly away. You bail out as soon as the plane gets high enough. The escort planes should peel away as we hit the runway as they will be going faster than we will at that time. That might give this plane a good 30 seconds or so to get lost in the dark and away from the searchlights before the escort planes can fly back around."

"Might not be enough to get away to safety but it might be enough to get far enough away that everyone else can bail out and have a better chance of getting back to our lines."

As she is about to object to another of his "do or die" plans, he places his gloved hand on her lips.

"You forget, I'm Anyman! Once on the ground, just give me a few seconds out of sight to change my appearance ... to a ... mechanic or janitor or guard or somebody and they will never catch me, no matter how hard they look!"

"It's you I'm worried about. If you can land in the dark some distance away from the airfield, there is a good chance you can go to ground and they won't be able to find you. Then you do what you think is best to find out what's going on and get that information back to England."

"Our only other options are to try to fight our way out or let ourselves be captured and hope we can escape later with the information."

Codename: AnymanAgent: Lance AllardOOC Happy belated birthday! Thought I'd get some kind of heads up from the site but as I recall (or more likely, as I don't) I was completely plastered on Saturday, so had trouble remembering my own name, or indeed, where I lived. The joys of alcohol. Wish I could remember what they were. Anyway, another year older, comes to us all.... Back to the action!

Steed turned away, then back. "Alright. We'll do it your way!" She turned to the Pilot, all business. "Turn in, slow and make as if you're about to land! We'll only get one chance at this!" The Pilot, shaken and clearly having little idea of what was going on, made his way back to the cockpit. Allard, unaware he'd disrupted the Nazis entire PSIonic communications network across Europe, made for the door. He would test his powers to the limit with this one, that was for sure! He wondered if he would survive - after all, he was nearly bulletproof but jumping out of a plane was something else entirely!

As he opened the hatch to the door, Steed stepped up. "Wait!" she said. "I have only an idea of what your real face is like, but I've come to admire the man under the bandages over the months I've known you! Be safe and... get back to England alive! I'll be waiting!" She leaned in to kiss Allard, a lingering kiss that promised much and tragically seemed to state in the same breath that there's was a love that would have to climb mountains to blossom!

The wind howled and blasted past, the night air, cool and fast battled to make itself heard over the roar of the engines! As the plane turned, Anyman gathered a parachute, knowing it would be of little use and serve more to highlight his position! Still...

Steed shouted "No unnecessary heroics! We few are all that stands against Nazi domination!" and held her hair away from her face as the wind pulled it around!

OOC Is Anyman going to simply jump from the plane? Any desired altitude? Using parachute? Altering body shape to help in some way?

Steed shouted "No unnecessary heroics! We few are all that stands against Nazi domination!" and held her hair away from her face as the wind pulled it around!

OOC Is Anyman going to simply jump from the plane? Any desired altitude? Using parachute? Altering body shape to help in some way?

The plane came in on approach and touched down on the landing field. That was the moment, Anyman was waiting for! While the plane was still rolling at speed, he bailed out the door, pulling open the chute as he hit the ground, rolling with the speed, trying to absorb the impact and slow himself down. The plane then sped up and took off back into the air, trying to get lost in the darkness before the pursuit planes could circle back around and see that the transport hadn't landed as ordered.

He hoped Steed would make it safely. If the plane didn't get out of sight of the searchlights, she would probably be highlighted as she tried jumping from the plane. But if they could get back into the darkness, even for a minute ....!!!

ooc: Can we say "road burn?" Good thing he wears a nice long trenchcoat!

Codename: AnymanAgent: Lance AllardOOC You can say roadburn or 'ouch' will do. I reckon an impact like that at speed would kill a normal person. You're looking at 30Htc and Htk, but thanks to dividers your clothes suffer more than you do!

Anyman launched from the planer, crashing into the hard packed ground, even though it was grass covered, and rolling end over end, tumbling and flopping, dazed, in a heap as the plane suddenly sped up and made to take off again! The German fighters had overtaken the descending plane and peeled off, but now whirled as best they could to take off after the plane disappearing into the darkness! Anyman glanced about, and heard the wail of an air raid siren as the base came onto high alert! Floodlights banged into life and started scanning the sky! He heard the planes engines fading into the distance! they were going to make it! They were...

He glanced back at the Airport tower, and in the general vicinity. There was a sudden flare of light, like a comet against the dark night sky, save one that launched from the ground! It took off like a bat out of hell, incredible speed hampering its ability to turn, but roaring off in the direction of the plane! It passed both fighters on the way, and Anyman mouthed "No! NO!" as he stumbled to his feet, pulling the parachute in but forgetting it moments later as the flare passed the plane underneath it, travelling two or three times faster than it, doubtless near supersonic speed! With a wide arc trailing flames and spitting sparks like a firework behind it, the 'comet' circled about, then dove straight for the plane!

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" yelled Anyman. He turned, seeing trucks start out across the field, one of them towards him, small light on top searching out across the field where they'd thought the plane had dropped something! Turning back, he saw as the comet struck the plane in the mid section, and there was a terrific explosion of light and sound, flames bursting out in every direction!

The plane was destroyed, falling in several large flaming sections a mile or so away from the airfield! Anyman wrung his hands in despair, then turned. The truck - full of Nazi soldiers - was closing in on him, but still a couple of hundred yards away or so! Near the airfield were light woods, or he could make for the tower itself, or perhaps disguise himself!

All of which seemed of little consequence as he watched the flaming wreckage crash to earth in the distance!

The plane was destroyed, falling in several large flaming sections a mile or so away from the airfield! Anyman wrung his hands in despair, then turned. The truck - full of Nazi soldiers - was closing in on him, but still a couple of hundred yards away or so! Near the airfield were light woods, or he could make for the tower itself, or perhaps disguise himself!

All of which seemed of little consequence as he watched the flaming wreckage crash to earth in the distance!.

This wasn't a play or the movies! People were dying. His people. He wanted to rip into the Nazis and send them packing but that wasn't his mission. Time to try to get away from here. Disguise himself and find out what is going on at the airfield. Find out if Steed and the others survived or not. Find out about the Psi things.

Leaving the parachute behind, he ran off into the darkness, trying to slowly circle back to the airfield where he could disguise himself and find the answers they needed.

It was childs play to become one with the night for someone who could change their form at will! He jogged through the darkness, aware that he was taking rather a long time to get round the field and come at the plane wreck from the other angle.

=========

Some minutes later...

Crouching behind trees, he parted the bushes to peer on a large section of wreckage. The Nazis had arrived at the scene, and machine gun toting soldiers were looking about, picking up pieces of aeroplane. He gaped when he saw the cause of the planes' demise!

A Nazi Metahuman, every footstep sizzling the grass where he walked as he stalked through the planes wreckage. He bellowed in German - Allard got the idea. Along the lines of 'Find them! There must be bodies somewhere! Otherwise they are still out there!' or something similar.

Anyman almost gasped! There was hope Steed was alive! But where?

He glanced at the horizon. Oh no! The sun was starting to come up! With daylight would come a search, dogs with handlers and scouts on motorcycles! If Steed was still able to get away, and hadn't been blown to smithereens in the crash, the Nazis would soon find her and the others, if they lived!

Anyman looked at the scene a dozen or so metres away from him. Ten Nazi soldiers and the flaming man. Only they knew Steed might still be alive. Was there some way Allard could take them out of the equation, or would he be better served continuing with his mission and leaving Steed to trust to lady luck?

Anyman looked at the scene a dozen or so metres away from him. Ten Nazi soldiers and the flaming man. Only they knew Steed might still be alive. Was there some way Allard could take them out of the equation, or would he be better served continuing with his mission and leaving Steed to trust to lady luck?.

Anyman decided he needed to get next to the Nazi super and stick close to him. He would lead him, he believed, to where all the Psi devices were being built and maybe to the person who was making Nazi supers. Also if Steed was captured, he would be on hand to help her.

All he needed to do was take out one of the soldiers and take his place! Then being a faceless grunt, he could go to where the flaming man went.

actions: Sneak close to a soldier, not the NCO. Kill him. Change his features to the dead man's. Change into the uniform. Make sure to take and read all identity papers and dogtags so he would know who he was. Pound dead soldier's face to mush so it can't be recognize. Either hide the mostly naked body - not putting on the underwear of a dead man! Keeping his own! - or throw dead man away as far into the dark as Anyman could so that if it was found, maybe it would be thought to be one of the people on the plane.

ooc: Lots of stories of clothes being blown off of people in explosions and stuff. So hoping that the others come to that conclusion.

Johann Marskheim had, like many others, been a youth when Adolf Hitler came to prominence as leader of the Nazi party. young, impressionable, he'd signed up for the Hitler Youth and had been proud to 'shop' his Uncle to the authorities for speaking his own - traitorous - opinions about where Hitler would lead the country if he got into power. His mother and father had looked on aghast as Johann himself had overseen the police drag his Uncle away, then been on hand to hear the warnings administered to his parents. He'd been given a medal for that. Even when his parents had been taken away, he'd still believed in the Nazi ideals. His parents would be educated and released back into society having been shown the error of their ways, despite never having spoken a word against the new regime. Johann had never seen them again, but by then he had signed up to the army.

Weeks ago now he, along with many others, had been told of the new world order that would arise, and that they themselves would be considered for elevation to the ranks of the 'Ubermensch'. He had seen what they could do, and followed blindly all orders given to him in the hope of being considered. He was, alas, not quite suitable, but might one day prove his loyalty by serving the Fuhrer even after death, and so had volunteered for the other project, the one no one really knew about and that was only available to the most loyal of the Fuhrers followers, which Johann surely was.

With his back to the flames, some way away from the wreckage, Johann thought back to the day. Hundreds of them, lined up, naked in the training yard. The doctors in white coats had examined them, asked them many questions, taken notes, and sent some away. The rest were given an injection that the Doctors had said would elevate them to the ranks of greatness much like the process used on the Ubermensch. He rubbed his arm now, and remembered wondering why his veins in that area had gone dark. A minor side effect, the Doctors had said. Johann was loyal. He had shrugged, and not taken much notice when most of the veins on his arm had turned black under the skin. Zipping himself up having answered natures call, he turned once more to the flames, watching the soldiers sift through the wreckage. Pulling a cigarette out, he watched the Ubermensch, 'Hellfire' bark orders and point. Stood here, away from the light, he figured he'd have a few minutes to enjoy a cigarette before being called back. He turned, looking out into the darkness.

That's when he saw himself walking towards him, identical save being dressed only in underpants! The cigarette fell from nerveless fingers as the other... Johann ... calmly strode closer, took his head gently between his hands and smiled, then looked past Johann. The Nazi had started to turn to see what the other 'him' was looking at, about to ask who - or what he was, when the CRICK! of his neck signified the end of Johanns' life.

Sifting through his pockets, Anyman pulled dogtags, a personal diary, cigarettes, id and a wallet out before tucking them into the clothing he pulled from the dead body. Glancing about, he pulled his fist back. Several bone crunching punches later, the mulched mess resembled nothing human, and Anyman stood, the limp ragdoll form tossed like so much rubbish far away into the darkness. Shouldering the rifle and putting out the cigarette, he strode back to the scene, checking out the wreckage.

=========Moments later...

In the darkness, the twisted body popped and cracked. There came an audible hiss from the limp form, and across the skin black veins pulsed and throbbed. The skin itself started to turn green, then grey, and rubbery. And Johann - or at least the creature that had been him - blinked solid black eyes open, and with a hiss twisted the head around to sit properly on his neck! His face smashed, rubbery skin hung off in flaps, and half broken teeth dripped black blood from a slavering jaw. The creature sniffed the air, then turned, looking to the burning wreckage, and the warm bodies that moved about it. Warm. Full of blood. That the creature craved...

=========

At the wreckage site...

Anyman was in his element. Acting was a way of life for him, and he shared grins and laughter with a few of the other soldiers. They were clearly happy that their enemy - whomever had been on the plane - was now in pieces strewn across a field!

Then he looked up. He heard shouting and concentrated, picking out the words. "Over here!" His heart raced. Had they found Steed and the others? The burning man strode dangerously across the field, everyone else giving him a wide berth and his footsteps burning holes in the grass where he stepped!

Getting closer, hurrying with the other soldiers, Anymans heart sunk. Torches shone on Steed. She was dragging the limp form of one of the pilots whilst another lay nearby at an odd, and fatal looking, angle. Steed looked pretty banged up, but defiant as she pointed a pistol out into the darkness and shouted "Whomever wishes to die, step forward!", voice strong though strained, as if she were injured. A single ragged parachute was nearby. Anyman took his best guess that Steed had grabbed it and two of those on board but the parachute had given out, sending them tumbling to the earth below. The fall had killed one man, seriously injured another and Steed looked pretty banged up!

Behind Anyman he heard a commotion, but he could see the fiery man walking towards Steed, uncaring about the weapon, seemingly!

OOC There are four soldiers including Anyman with the fiery guy around 30m away from Steed and the other airman. There are five more behind at the burning wreckage around 20m away. You are in a wide field, not much in the way of cover. A stone wall runs along a road around 50m away.

Steed looked pretty banged up, but defiant as she pointed a pistol out into the darkness and shouted "Whomever wishes to die, step forward!", voice strong though strained, as if she were injured. A single ragged parachute was nearby. Anyman took his best guess that Steed had grabbed it and two of those on board but the parachute had given out, sending them tumbling to the earth below. The fall had killed one man, seriously injured another and Steed looked pretty banged up!

Behind Anyman he heard a commotion, but he could see the fiery man walking towards Steed, uncaring about the weapon, seemingly!

OOC There are four soldiers including Anyman with the fiery guy around 30m away from Steed and the other airman. There are five more behind at the burning wreckage around 20m away. You are in a wide field, not much in the way of cover. A stone wall runs along a road around 50m away..

Ignoring the noise behind him for the moment, the man called Anyman stepped forward with his rifle at the ready.

"Fraulein," he called out. "Surrender! ANY MAN here can take you down! You have no chance!"

One or two soldiers looked at Anyman where he stood, pondering at his accented English, but returned their gaze to the defiant woman. Despite blood trickling from a head wound she looked more than capable of putting up a fight, and one soldier made a lewd remark about a woman whom he'd known like her.

The fiery Nazi was not amused. "English?" he called out. "Surrender Fraulein. We have been instructed to intercept all unauthorised flights. Of course, we had help in knowing yours was one of those... Captain Steed, I presume? So beautiful... so deadly! And so outmatched..." he laughed.

Steed snarled at him, levelling the pistol which looked woefully inadequate against the fiery Nazi. Suddenly she paused, and squinted into the darkness, unable to make out details as the bright flare of the burning German cast the soldiers in shadow. "Wait... what was that?" she called out. She seemed to shudder in surprise, then turned back to the Nazi. "You have an advantage, for you know me, and I don't know of you."

"I am... the translation would be... HELLFIRE! I should think the reasons are obvious madame. Your weapon will not harm me, and my men will shoot you unless you surrender. My... sources indicate that whilst you are not impervious to gunfire it has a significantly decreased effect on you. Let me state that my own powers would do the job far quicker, and more painfully. It would be such a shame to spoil that pretty face by taking it in my fiery grasp!" laughed the Nazi.

Steed squinted into the darkness again, looked down at the two injured men near her feet and sighed, turning the gun over to drop it on the ground and place her hands behind her head in surrender.

The German soldiers moved in.

Anyman was stood behind Hellfires' back, with no one behind him for quite a distance, some way back in the darkness.

Anyman turned to look into the darkness, to see what Captain Steed was seeing.

ooc: We had a foot of snow on Christmas day, in an area with a couple of salt trucks and two snowplows. Tells you what kind of mess we are currently having. A lot of it melted, leaving black ice all over the place. Going to be fun to see if I can get into work tomorrow.

Codename: AnymanAgent: Lance AllardOOC Anyman is what she was squinting at, but obviously she can't pick you out in the darkness disguised as you are as a German soldier. You are at the back of a group of soldiers behind the Nazi Metahuman, with a rifle to hand. Behind you, quite a way behind - hundreds of metres - are more German Soldiers, huffing and puffing their way across a field, but you are not in danger of being blindsided by more soldiers.

As the soldiers came nearer Steed, she glanced at one, who cried out, and fell to the floor! The others looked around in surprise, and the fiery Nazi growled in anger! He started to stride towards Steed! On the floor the German soldier weighed significantly more than he could carry, and it took all his effort to raise his head, before crying out and slumping to the floor, exhausted! Steed was playing a dangerous game by angering the Nazis, but they presented an inviting target - their backs - to Anyman!

Steed was playing a dangerous game by angering the Nazis, but they presented an inviting target - their backs - to Anyman!

OOC: thought it might have been the zombie Nazi she saw.

Anyman cursed mentally. Steed got his message totally wrong! He didn't want her to resist, he wanted her to surrender. That way they could have been taken inside ... inside wherever these men came from. He could have learned the layout and then freed her. Instead, she took it to mean to distract the others so he could attack the Nazi super.

Nothing to do for it now. He would have to fight. Quickly he raised his rifle and fired into the back of the man called Hellfire. He figured the bullet would melt before it reached but maybe the Nazi had to concentrate in order to generate enough heat to melt bullets.

ooc: The Karabiner 98k "Mauser" (often abbreviated "K98k" or "Kar98k") was adopted in the mid 1930s and would be the most common infantry rifle in service within the German Army during World War II. The design was based on developed from the Karabiner 98b, one of the carbines developed from the Model 1898 mentioned before. The K98k was first adopted by the Wehrmacht in 1935 to be their standard issue rifle, with many older versions being converted and shortened as well as the design itself entering production. Made by Gewehren begrenzt

In the name K98k, the first "K" stands for karabiner (carbine) and the second "k" for kurz (short). The "98" is derived from the earlier rifle's year of adoption (1898), though the carbine itself was adopted in 1935. The K98k is often confused as being the earlier Model 98 design; however, there are notable differences between them. The easiest to spot are its shorter length, and bent, rather than straight bolt handle. Less obvious are that it has different, simpler sights. It was intended to be a "universal rifle" for all parts of the Heer rather than having both Carbine and full length versions.

The rifle has a bolt-action and uses 7.92 × 57 mm rounds (referred to as 8 mm Mauser). It has an effective range of about 800 metres, but when fitted with a high-quality rifle scope, its range increases to 1,000 metres. The K98k has a 5 round internal magazine and is loaded from 5 round stripper clips that are inserted into a slot in front of the opened bolt and pushed into the magazine with the thumb. The empty stripper clip is then ejected from the gun when the bolt is pushed forward into position. A trench magazine was also produced that could be attached to the bottom of the internal magazine by removing the floor plate, increasing capacity to 20 rounds, though it still required loading with 5 round stripper clips.

OOC Apologies for the delay for posting, hope you have a Happy New Year! Just listening to Fireworks going off outside... 00.05 and the little one has woken up *sigh* Haven't forgotten about the Zombie either, but thanks for the reminder anyway...

As Anyman predicted, his shot struck the back of the fiery Nazi with a sizzle!

The Nazi gaped in surprise, turning. Snarling something in German, he raised an arm to point at Anyman! Suddenly he groaned, and sagged, falling forward! Anyman saw that not only could he not hold his own arm up, he was starting to sink into the soft earth! As he tried to stifle a grin, he looked over the sagging Nazi to see Steed gaping... not at him... at something... behind him?

For her part, Steed had had little choice as far as what to do next. With two injured airmen in tow and outnumbered, probably outgunned, by the Nazi and his soldiers, she'd caught the reference by Anyman and figured that he'd somehow pulled off his amazing trick of duplicating anyone and had infiltrated the Nazis! Then as the fiery Nazi approached, she thought she'd seen... something. What it was, she had no idea, but it looked rather like a dead man walking...

Of course, that had been nonsense. She had diverted her attention to her predicament and when Anyman had shot the fiery Nazi - who'd simply stumbled forward as a response - she moved in, reaching out and applying her own incredible power, adding to the Nazis mass and causing him to stagger under his own weight! Only now there was no doubt - there WAS something coming out of the darkness...

And it hungered for blood!

The German soldiers barked at Steed to get down, but even they baulked at the look of terror on her face and turned to see the shambling dead come out of the darkness towards the staggering Nazi Metahuman! "Gott in Himmel!" one cried, as they backed away slightly. Suddenly the harsh realisation of what they had all volunteered for struck home, and out of sheer panic, they levelled their weapons and opened fire!

Anyman dived for cover as wild flaring gunshots spat out into the night. Most missed. Some struck home - to little or no effect! The bullets cut through the dead form, staggering it slightly, but wounds closed without leaving trace of blood and the creature shambled forwards!OOC You have - a Nazi metahuman on 1/2 frames, a squad of terrified Nazis firing at a Nazi Zombie, a fellow Allied Metahuman holding the mass effect on your enemy whilst trying to drag the airmen to safety, and you are disguised as a German soldier. The Zombie is around 10m away, getting closer. The Metahuman a frame of movement away to engage in melee. Thanks also for the history lesson on the rifle. I've learnt more about the early days of World War II during this campaign then I ever knew before, and we're only just starting out!

ooc: Fun digging up stuff like that. I remembered seeing on some History Channel or Military Channel that one of the biggest problems German soldiers had during the war was their slower rate of fire because Hitler wasn't too impressed with semi-automatic and automatic weapons. They were finally developed a bit later in the war than we are in. 1942 or so.

Any vehicles we can use to escape nearby and let the Nazis fight it out amongst themselves?

The melee/confusion was taking place out in the middle of a field. That said, the crash site of the plane, not too far away, was where the lorry the Nazis had used was parked up. The field was rough going for it mind, and it would need a few minutes of hard sprinting to get to it!

The Soldiers continued to blaze away at the dead Nazi who was strangely attracted to the pinned fiery Metahuman! It seemed Steed - no matter that she was outnumbered and about to become a target for practise, continued to pile on the Mass for the Nazi! He seemed to come to the realisation too, especially when the dead soldier shambled towards him, arms outstretched, and him unable to move! "Kill him!" he bellowed in German. "Kill him you fools!" The Soldiers were trying... but it was already dead!

Anyman could use the confusion to make his way around the soldiers to where Steed was, run back to the truck and use that, or watch and see how it played out with the ghoulish figure slowly stumbling towards the pinned burning Nazi superhuman!

Anyman could use the confusion to make his way around the soldiers to where Steed was, run back to the truck and use that, or watch and see how it played out with the ghoulish figure slowly stumbling towards the pinned burning Nazi superhuman!.

Anyman, taking advantage of the confusion, ran over to where Captain Emma Steed and the two wounded airmen were.

"Hang on," he said, in his normal voice, "this is going to be rough!"

With that, he scooped up all three and ran for the lorry across the field, purposely keeping his back between the people he is carrying and the German soliders. Being more bulletproof than the others, he believed he could take a few dozen rounds in the back and that they couldn't.

With a gasp Steeds eyes widened as the German soldier dashed over, spoke in a very un-German voice and scooped all three of them up as if they were weightless! Physically fit, and carrying a burden that didn't register on his his superhuman strength limits, the biggest hindrance for Anyman was the problems of actually bundling three people up to run with them (OOC I think I've lifted three adults, but could only stagger, though that was more down to the weight I think...Probably drunk as well, which sort of helps/hinders at the same time... Of course, I'm far from 'superhuman' ) Trying to use his body as a shield resulted in them moving even slower - a soldier as jogging pace would've caught them up!

"I can take a bullet or two!" hissed Steed. "And besides, watch where you are putting your hands, buster!" As she got down, she turned and saw the Nazi metahuman, out of range of her power now stagger to his feet and look around. Then the ghoulish dead soldier was on him! Using the pandemonium of the battle as cover, the small group made their way across the rutted field.

=========

Minutes later...

The group rose, having dropped to the floor as motorcyclists roared past, and over to the truck. Inside, a pair of German soldiers were looking at the distant flames and wondering what was going on. They didn't get long to think about it!

One of them groaned, instantly sagging in his seat then being pinned! With his weight multiplied the soldier was immobilised! The other turned to see what was happening, then noticed the soldier at the window. Pulling it open he was about to ask what was going on when all of his front teeth were knocked out thanks to a terrific punch by Anyman!

As the sirens wailed behind them the truck made its way steadily across the field and to the roads running adjacent to the small airport...

She leaned over to look in the back. "One of the airmen is dead. The other is critically injured. We need to get him help. DAMN!" she hissed, pounding on the dashboard.

She had a point. Would Anyman find some way to get the crew back to English shores, continue on his own on the original mission, go back to investigate the Nazi airbase and risk running the gauntlet of more superhumans, or try something else? When daylight broke planes would be scouring the sky, not to mention that fiery Nazi...

She had a point. Would Anyman find some way to get the crew back to English shores, continue on his own on the original mission, go back to investigate the Nazi airbase and risk running the gauntlet of more superhumans, or try something else? When daylight broke planes would be scouring the sky, not to mention that fiery Nazi...

"I think we can ignore our orignal missions," Anyman said grimly. "Finding out where that firey Nazi comes from, where he is staying and where these PSItransmitters are that are supposed to sap the British people's will to fight is now our greatest priority!"

He glances back at the wounded man.

"IF we leave him here on the road, if he isn't dead by the time they find him, he will probably be shot as a spy. If we can find ... someplace," he glances around as he drives. "Someplace where they can see to his wounds and then hope that he gets recognized as a British airman and sent to a proper German of War camp for airmen ... that way he will have a chance of surviving the war."

"Sanctuary you mean," Captain Steed asks.

"Yeah, except I'm pretty sure we will not find too many Catholic churches in Germany but Lutherian Churches might be close enough," Anyman says softly, all of a sudden flashing onto some kind of future image of blasted churches, crumbling and in ruins with Nazi flags flying nearby. He shudders.

"You okay," Steed asks.

"Yeah, just an image from whatever is inside me," he says. "Let's try to make it to the next town and keep your eyes out for a doctor's office or a big church. That's the best we can do for the man right now."

As dawn broke Anyman stifled a yawn. A glance over at Steed revealed her to be just as fresh as before. In truth, since the transformation activated by General Wynn, she was tireless now, truly superhuman! And beautiful. He shook it off, rubbing his eyes, and pulled up. Without a word the two looked out through the copse of trees they'd pulled up at and looked at the sign. 'Eversmeer'. They'd driven through neatly sectioned fields of what were clearly farming settlements and seen little evidence of the war the country was waging - the Nazis were so busy attacking other countries it seemed they had no fear of their own being compromised!

"What do you think?" asked Steed. She glanced in the back at the airmen, and one of them covered head to toe in tarpaulin. "We'd best bury him. The other one... unless we get him help, he won't be far behind."

Anyman nodded. "Let's see what the town brings." he growled. Gassing the truck they pulled forwards.

=========The farming community was just starting to come awake...

They got little or nothing in the way of looks - clearly the sight of a German army truck was no big surprise these days. Those that supported the war had already been inducted into the Wehrmacht , anyone who opposed the war had been taken away. And probably shot.

Those that were left were essential people, required to farm food and manufacture for the German war machine, but most were old men or women and children. Most would never see their husbands, sons or brothers again, legacy of a madman intent on global domination...

"There." said Steed. The sign indicated that they'd reached a Doctors.

Just then, across the street, a bell rung and some laughing German officers came out of a cafe, their breakfast hot and steaming in brown paper. The three of them turned towards a direction down the road where the village seemed to build up towards a centre until one looked at the truck parked opposite and called a halt to the others. They frowned, muttered amongst themselves and one started to come over, yelling something along the lines of "Don't eat my breakfast!" before he straightened his jacket and cap. He was, by looks of the rank, a Lieutenant.

Steed glanced over, shrinking down in the seat, and eased the passenger door open slowly on her side as the officer walked over to the drivers side, where Anyman sat. "You!" he barked (OOC in German... Anyman will try his best to translate, but his German is at 'tourist' level) "What are ....?" he said. Anyman caught some, but not all...

OOC Yes it is, but I leave Puttys involvement down to you - so by all means, if Putty wants to 'butt in' and help with the German, that's not a problem. I'll chalk that one down to a facepalm but fix it with...

Codename: AnymanAgent: Lance Allard

Allard shivered. He blinked and heard the words as clear as if he'd spoken them himself. "What are you doing here? Where is your unit? You must know the penalties for going absent without leave, do you not, soldier? What is your name and rank?"

Somewhere inside him he'd 'clicked' with the words he'd heard. He knew then that he would never be stuck again without knowing what someone was saying to him! He was about to say "I know German!" but that would have given the game away. Inches away, hidden by a coat, Steed held her breath!

Somewhere inside him he'd 'clicked' with the words he'd heard. He knew then that he would never be stuck again without knowing what someone was saying to him! He was about to say "I know German!" but that would have given the game away. Inches away, hidden by a coat, Steed held her breath!

"We have prisoners, sir," he said in German. "British Airmen who are wounded. This was the nearest doctor that I could find, sir, so I am bringing them here to be fixed up before turning them over as Prisoners of War. Wouldn't want the wrong service to get the credit for the capture, sir."

Anyman hoped the fame rivalry between services would help him out here.